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Was using a 2" hole saw to drill through 2 2x4's drill did not make it through without overheating. My initial impression is mixed I chose the Hitachi set over the Dewalt mainly due to cost and the Lithium Ion batteries, not to mention that they have a 10 year warranty on their tools. Even with the second battery in the drill I had to stop for 15 minutes to let it cool down because it kept shutting down. My final thought.
I was very disappointed with the Hitachi lantern. I looked at replacing the batteries but between spending $250 for a new charger and pair of batteries or just replacing the whole kit it made sense to get new tools (my drill needed repair as well). I should state the drill was not the first to stop the battery went into protect mode as I swapped the battery out for the one in the light. seemed like they were almost 1/3rd the weight but their plastic shell does seem to be cheaper quality then dewalt's and the clip mechanism also seems not as sturdy (hopefully though they will last longer). I do however want to point out that I wish Hitachi made a right angle drill as one does come with Dewalt's larger 18v kits.Deal wise I bought mine from tyler tool they were running free shipping and a 10% off coupon so the setup cost me $782.10 Followup on 1/2" hammer drill. the fluorescent bulb isn't that great compared to Dewalts gooseneck lamp this thing is nothing more than a childs toy. so what do I miss. I DID however really like the rubber surround that covered the front of the sawzall it makes the tool very comfortable to use.
The design is a bit funky as it has a mix of plastic and rubber pieces its very comparable to the Dewalt 18v unit. Hitachi does fall WAY short on the silly belt clip / LED light that is attached to the lower left side of the tool. I have not taken the light apart to determine its power source but my guess is a couple of flat watch type batts and well that makes it worthless as well one of those marketing add ons that really does not need to be there. Now com-on what can you do with 1 LED. First off the LED is YELLOW another "come-on what are you thinking." as it should be a white bulb also noteworthy is that it seems to be powered by its own battery.
Damn I wish I wasn't cheap and had spent the extra $200 on the dewalt set. The lamp did not turn back on for about 3 minutes untill the battery cooled. Not much if anything at all the tools are very comparable to my old Dewalt kit as mentioned the batteries and the charger appear to be cheaper plastic but that's nothing major and should not be a deal breaker. My Favorite piece here so far is the one that I thought would be used the least. I figured I'd have it handy and would be quicker than having to find the blower attachment for my air compressor. The unit works ok but its one of those tools that if you are in your shop and you have an air compressor 15 feet away its no big deal and add no value to your combo. even though my Dewalt tools were in OK shape the 4 batteries were pretty much dead and had been "revived" a few times.
Most recently I had a Dewalt 18v 4pc that was about 5 years old. The description states it has both LED's and a fluorescent lamp what it doesn't state is that there is ONLY 1 LED. Please note I bought the 9pc kit which has the same tools I have had about 10 cordless drills in the past 15 years and recently upgraded to this Hitachi 9 pc kit. Looking at the Drill itself, it's a nice solidly made tool. I finally got tired of screwing around and went to the garage for my Milwaukee 1/2" corded hammer drill and that hole that took 3+ minutes with the cordless took 15 seconds to finish.If your a homeowner this setup will work for you BUT if you are a pro and depend on the capabilities of your tools MOVE ON. I allowed the drill and batteries to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes but still was unable to continue as the drill was still hot and shut down after a few seconds.
I do plan on buying the matching impact wrench a few extra batteries and the real flashlight (since the florescent lantern is a joke) here in a few months. The batteries on the Hitachi kit were definitely lighter than dewalt's. The Sawzall, jigsaw grinder and SDS drill are all high quality once again the funky combination of plastic and rubber. Weight wise its about the same as my older Makita 14.4v unit but has alot more power is much smaller and drives long screws and bolts 500% better than a non impact driver.My least favorite tool here is the "blower" I do alot of woodworking and thought it would be nice to have it handy to to blow off sawdust. The 1/4" impact driver is great for driving screws I have even used a socket adapter into it and used it when working on my lawn equipment.
This is absolutely the best kit for the money with a unbeatable five year warranty. Hitachi KC18DBL 4-Tool Lithium-Ion Combo KitI did a lot of research on cordless combo kits. I have had this kit for over a month and have put it through it's paces. It's that simple. It has unstoppable power and torque.
This is a minor problem and I don't consider it to be significant enough to even warrant less than a five star review. There was no better price on the web and this kit rated the highest on Consumer Reports (.org) so I am confident that this kit will serve me well and dutifully. I was extremely pleased how fast this tool kit arrived after I ordered it. I haven't had a chance to break the set in but all of the tools and batteries were fine in working order. I am very excited. My only complaint is that the canvass bag that was included had a zipper that is in need of repair because it wasn't attached correctly to the bag.
Only wish for all the stuff u get would like to have 1 more battery added. The bag for all the tools is a good one as well, and this comes from a guy who loves to have hard cases for his cordless tools, but has pleanty of room for all your tools and the charger too. so i didnt buy it that nite, i came home started looking at hitachi's website and found this one, this kit came with the same stuff except it was lithium ion batteries and had the cordless hammer drill with in class leading 570 in/lbs of torque (about 60 ft/lbs for those who need to know). so for another 43 dollars i got that and more. The batteries are strong when they get weak it will just shut off, saving the electric motors of all the tools, GREAT FEATURE, instead of most typical tools just lags its way down till it has nothing left, thats hard on the brushes and will burn a motor up quick. For the money and waranty(5 YEARS, compared to 1 like most others) you cant ask for more.I shopped at lowes and was just looking for a quality drill and it started with just looking for a basic 18v drill, the lowes guy sold me on the 18v hitachi there, and it was 189.99.
what a steal and i get the same drill. that same drill costs 299.99 at lowes by itself. quick charger that works like a champ too, a bit noisy cause of the cooling fan that is built in but keeps you in business. Even the lantern that comes with the kit is handy, never thought i would say that, but it does the job i need it to do. so i started looking at the combo kits there and saw that they had one for 299.99 so i thought for another 110 bux i can get a circular saw and sawzall and light. The 2 saws are PHENOMENAL TOO, i never thought i would like a cordless circular saw, but i have been redoing some sub floors lately and that thing has no problem ripping 3/4 inch plywood all day long.
BUY THIS KIT, ITS WORTH IT. the sawzall is just a sturdy, cuts through ANYTHING.
Well, I was hoping to justify the purchase of the latest and greatest corded circular saw, so I put my cordless to the test. Cordless saws are good to have when you need them, but you'll be happier with a corded saw every time for continuous or heavy duty work.This kit gets 5 stars for the overall value. For a long time, I was partial to Dewalt, which has its own merits, but the Hitachi is easier on the hand when working a long day with the drill. I have used the drill extensively, the saws occasionally, and the light has been very handy when working under the hood of my car. I used the saw exclusively for my oak plywood cuts in building a cabinet for the garage. My initial review did not give the circular saw the credit it deserved.
It's just awkward to hang a drill from your belt. If you want the drill at your side, a tool belt with a drill holder is the way to go, as it will be positioned much more conveniently. I doubled up the 3/4" oak plywood I was cutting and really thought I could bog the saw down. To my surprise, the saw didn't bog down at all. After many cuts and positioning and repositioning my guides many times, I cut a corner to make the job go faster. I've had the kit for a year now and not a single problem. The chuck also seems to be very well made, comparable to the Dewalts I have used over the years.The belt clip is little more than a marketing tool.
The light on the belt clip was a pleasant surprise though. I can run the tools for a VERY long time between charges and the charger replenishes the batteries quickly.Probably my biggest draw to Hitachi tools is the comfort. I assumed that it was a cordless circular saw and would not be able to handle anything more than light duty work. They are all so well balanced and comfortable to hold. At first it seemed worthless, but once I tried it in the dark, I was glad it was there.I haven't put the saws through anything more than light duty work, so I can't comment on their limits. I'm as pleased as ever with my Hitachi cordless tool purchase. You'll be hard pressed to find more for your money.Update: After another year of use, the kit is still running strong.
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